Overview
- A late Friday night blaze quickly consumed the central synagogue and main hospitality building at the Rabbeinu Hagadol/Alter Rebbe complex in Haditch, leaving the main structure largely destroyed and damages estimated in the millions.
- Local firefighters fought the fire for hours during Shabbat, contained the blaze, and authorities reported no injuries to guests, staff, or first responders.
- Ukrainian police have opened an active investigation into the cause of the fire, and early inquiries are considering an electrical short circuit among other possibilities.
- Guests and local staff rescued several Torah scrolls during the emergency, and the Federation of Jewish Communities of Ukraine and site leaders have begun coordinating replacement seforim, ritual items, fundraising, and plans to rebuild.
- The site, restored from the late 1980s and with a main building completed in 2013, is one of Ukraine’s principal Chabad pilgrimage destinations that draws thousands of visitors each year and serves as a regional center for prayer and hospitality.